Autumn's Space

Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts Seeks Contestants

2008-03-03T19:06:00.003-05:00

www.mswheelchairmass.orgYou could be the next Ms Wheelchair MassachusettsIf you are a woman who is:• A Massachusetts resident• Between the ages of 21 – 60• Marital status is not a factor• Using a wheelchair for 100%of your active daily mobilityYou could be crowned as the newMs. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2008!Sunday, April 6, 2008“Carson Place” at the Bayside Expo Center180 Mt. Vernon StreetBoston,

It might be time

2008-01-13T19:11:00.000-05:00

Last week I was watching the New Hampshire primary results when I began to notice that I could not quite be sure if a number was an eight or a six. Maybe it was because it was a small television and I was watching from bed at the time. Yesterday, I was outside playing with Cosmo and plane went by dragging one of those messages. For the life of me I could make out what it said, all I saw was red

Only half analog now

2007-12-28T18:26:00.000-05:00

Well we did it, last Saturday we took the plunge into the world of HDTV. Kenny has wanted a HD LCD for a while (really who doesn't) but we finally found the set we wanted at a price that will work. We really debated about the size of the screen but in the end went with a 40 inch which actually fits perfectly in the living room, anything else would have been too big. We decided to spend the money

Changes for 2008

2007-12-28T17:52:00.000-05:00

As 2007 comes to a close many of us will start thinking about New Years' resolutions. I know one that is at the top of many lists including mine is to lose weight. I know I want to lose weight to help manage my disability and make sure that I am healthy but I also want to look nice in my bridesmaid dress in my sister's wedding in May. For me I will be focusing on adding 30 minutes of exercises 5

The new chair has arrived

2007-12-28T17:45:00.000-05:00

Just as it was promised my new chair arrived yesterday with all of the bells and whistles. Of course that pure fact that it is new has Cosmo freaked out beyond belief and then add in the fact that the seat elevates the feet elavate and the whole chair reclines and we had some moments last night when he would not come near me. I would love to start using the chair full time immediately but it

engagement rings

2007-12-22T21:42:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of talk of engagement rings in the Grant household lately and that is because my sister is getting married. For the moment she has been using my grandmother's engagement ring as stand by until she finds the one that she wants. I am going to suggest that she look at some of the diamonds on the James Allen website, because there are some truly exceptional pieces there. You

Giving up on Reality TV

2007-12-22T21:35:00.000-05:00

I think it might be time to give up on some reality tv shows. I was very disappointed this season with America's Next Top Model and with Tila Tequila's Shot at Love. And even though I did not watch it the Bachelor was a bit of a fiasco. I think I need to stick to reality shows like the Amazing Race where the winners are based on accomplishments and not subjective opinions. You always want the

Sweet Revenge

2007-11-29T15:49:00.000-05:00

They say that revenge is sweet but this is something I have never really dabbled in. Of course when something bad has happened to someone who has wronged you , sometimes we smile a little, because they ultimately got what they deserved but I have never caused that bad thing to happen.I remember when I was about 10 years old I saw a movie with Stockard Channing called "The Girl Most Likely To...".

A kitten

2007-11-29T15:44:00.000-05:00

I have been bugging Kenny for weeks now about getting another cat. Yes I know we have three and a dog but I want another cat. The three cats we have come with Kenny into our relationship and they have never developed a strong bond with me. It isn't that they do not like me that just prefer him. I get so jealous when I see one of them all curled up with him and I just want a cat to come sit

If I could

2007-11-27T18:25:00.000-05:00

If I won the lottery or suddenly received an unbelievable salary there are many things that I would love to do with the additional money. First and foremost, I would give back as much as I could to my parents. Raising a child with a disability is far more costly, not just in expenses but in loss of work and other resources. I know it would take a lot to pay my parents back for all the sacrifices

61 Degrees

2007-11-27T18:09:00.000-05:00

Funny how 61 degrees in the summer feels like it is about 30 and 61 degrees in the winter feels like it is about 80. I could not believe it when I left the house this morning rarely would I call 61 degrees warm, but today it felt warm.Winter becomes more tolerably when you a few nice above average days thrown in to thaw out. I am also happy because my furnace gets a little break. I received my

Gothic Love

2007-11-26T18:42:00.000-05:00

If you are a goth living in a big city then you probably have no problem meeting other goths, whether it be at clubs, at school or through your friends. However there are people who identify

Got a new phone

2007-11-26T18:27:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago while my cousin was cleaning our house, the phone accidentally feel off of the wall mount and into a bucket of water. Needless to say that phone no longer works. One of the Christmas gifts I had asked for from Kenny was a new home phone that was compatible with my bluetooth ear piece. I really love the bluetooth capabilities of my cell phone but since I do not get a

Keeping warm

2007-11-26T17:58:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, Kenny and I were out and about and happened to be in the area of some major shopping plazas. Because of the increased shopping traffic many of the plazas had police out on the streets assisting to direct traffic. I think we went past the same spot twice about two hours apart and noticed the same police officers were still on duty standing out in the cold. The thing was looking at

Change of pace

2007-11-26T17:47:00.000-05:00

What a difference a long holiday weekend makes... For the last three weeks I have been booked solid with appointments from 9:30am to 4pm everyday with a a half hour for lunch. I was literally squeezing people in between appointments if the first appointment ended early. It was non stop madness because of registration.Today I get into to work and I have three appointments on my calendar and one

First Weekend Art Events

2007-11-25T15:56:00.000-05:00

Whenever I visit my sister in North Carolina, I alsways try to make sure I am there for the first friday of the month; because that is when the local galleries open up fro what they call an Art Crawl. In talking to other friends I have learned that is also very common in other larger cities that have a thriving art district. Whenever I travel now I definitely check into these type of art events

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2007-11-25T15:50:00.000-05:00

I am definitely getting excited about holidays this year, mostly because We are finally in our own home and we can finally decorate the way we want . Yesterday when Kenny and I were out we got four wreaths, three standard sized ones for each of the doors and a really big one to hang in front of our picture window. We a few odds and ends up in the living room but still have yet to come across

Eco-Friendly

2007-11-25T15:30:00.000-05:00

Over the weekend I watched a documentary that had a very strong emotional impact on me. It was not about starving children, or war torn countries; it was about the death of the electric car. I was stunned to learn that the technology for electric cars exists but the car companies are denying us the right to have them. I would so love to have a vehicle that would allow me to drive to and from

Finally out of bed

2007-11-25T15:23:00.000-05:00

I have spent a great deal of time over this holiday long weekend in bed. Wednesday when I woke up, I had extremely bad back pain that I think was caused by the repetative movement of putting cans away the night before. On wednesday it was so bad, I knew that I was not going to be able to drive to work or remain sitting for 8 hours so I stayed home and remained in bed all day. On Thursday I was

Scary Situations

2007-11-20T20:10:00.000-05:00

Several years ago I experienced a very scary situation at work. It was right around the holidays and I was sitting around the office with a few co-workers eating food that we brought back from another office party. When were enjoying are snacks when all of a sudden our boss emerged from his office with his face completely red, breathing heavily, clutching the door and telling us to call campus

Thanksgiving

2007-11-20T20:05:00.001-05:00

I am starting to get excited about Thanksgiving this year. I am have never been a turkey or big meal person but I certainly have always enjoyed a few days off. This year I a particularly excited because it will be the first major holiday in our new house, it will also be the first time we use the dining room. The dining room itslef is far from being the way I want it to be but it will be a

Chronic Pain

2007-11-20T19:29:00.000-05:00

It was not until recently that I have begun to realize that I do indeed suffer from chronic pain. Of course I always knew that I had pain, but I have become more and more aware of the pain and that fact that it rarely stops. Most of my pain occurs in my hip joints.I think most of the pain stems from the fact that I am sitting in my wheelchair all day and I have constant pressure on my hip joints.

Sweet Caroline

2007-11-20T19:23:00.001-05:00

In October little Miss Caroline packed up her things and moved to Seattle. Life has been pretty good for her out there, living in the shadows of the Space Needle. She tempted at Google for a couple of weeks and we were defintely jealous from all of her google swag.By chance she found good deal on a flight home and was able to come home for a few days over the holiday. Kenny and I had the

Christmas is coming ....

2007-11-17T19:48:00.000-05:00

I am on some sort of Christmas kick today but I keep finding all these great personalized gifts; which is exactly what I am looking for this year. What child would not love something unique and special like Personalized Gifts for Children . My Special Christmas Adventure lets a child take a magical journey a with Santa Claus. Most young children would love to see themselves in a story with Old

That was disappointing

2007-11-17T19:36:00.000-05:00

I was just cleaning and getting a bit hungry and when I came across the Domino's advertisement on the table for the Crispy Melt Pizza, my mouth started to water. The slogan is Crispy meet Melty, Melty meet crispy and the ad shows this delicous looking pizza with cheese oozing out of the sides. So I gave Domino's a call and ordered one with black olives and mushrooms and an order of cheese bread

Travelling made easier

2007-11-17T19:15:00.000-05:00

I have been traveling a lot more over the last year than I ever have in the past. While all the traveling can be quite exciting, it can also be very frustrating. I have a fairly limited travel budget that I have been given to cover 12 months, so I'm always on a look out for a good deal. I've found that you have to constantly stay on top of things because good prices come and go. Sometimes the

Is it happening again?

2007-11-17T15:59:00.001-05:00

I wrote several weeks ago about my cat Yinyang who's health was becoming an issue. I was particularly concerned about a growth that was forming on her bottom jaw. Over the late spring we lost our precious Fawn to a very aggressive form of mouth cancer, which took her from us in just about 10 days from when it made an obvious appearance. Yinny has had this growth for a little while now and the

Grandfather Clocks

2007-11-16T19:01:00.000-05:00

My nana and papa lived in an old farmhouse until I was about six years old. I don't have many memories of the house but I do have a few. One of them is of spending time in the living room playing with the porcelain Siamese kittens on the mantle of the fireplace and waiting for the cuckoo clock over the sofa to chime. My mom would try her best to get me into the living room on the hour so I could

Quick Rewards Update

2007-11-16T18:56:00.000-05:00

So before my trip to Disney, I got back involved with Quick Rewards a loyalty program. In the 30 course of the 30 days before my trip, I earned $100. All I did was clicks, surveys and a few email sign ups as well as the shopping that I would have done anyway. I did sign up for a Starwoods Crdit card through the site since I was staying at a Sheraton and eneded up with $25 for that. I will

Tech Guys

2007-11-15T19:12:00.000-05:00

I consider myself to be moderately technically savvy, Kenny on the other hand is a bit of a tech geek. He will start talking about some new gadget and I have to make him slow down so I can follow along. Each year at Christmas , I try to get him sort of technology related gift, but I want the best deals that I can find. Once I was looking for a cheap digital camera and found a great deal at

Back...

2007-11-15T19:05:00.000-05:00

Kenny and I returned on Monday ok actually very early on Tuesday from a fantastic vacation at Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida. We had debated for a long time about cancelling the trip that was booked in February primarily because we bought a house this summer, in the end we decided to go and really needed the break that it gave us. We had a really wonderful time with the exception of some

Brisbane Australia

2007-10-28T19:35:00.000-05:00

Ever since I was a little girl I have always wanted to go to Australia , it probably started with my mother's obsession for Koala bears growing up. But as I moved passed just wanted to hold a Koala bear , I think the appeal of Australia was based on the fact that it is both exotic and familiar. I mean it is obviously quite different from the states but at the same time you do not get confused by

10 days to Vacation

2007-10-28T19:25:00.000-05:00

I am starting to get very excited about our trip to Florida. We had booked our stay at the Pop Century Resort in Walt Disney World but I beginning to have mixed feelings about staying there. I was just not looking forward to the long bus rides to the parks and I was hoping for a hotel with a theme that would be more soathing and relaxing. For weeks now I have been checking the disney site

Investing

2007-10-28T14:42:00.000-05:00

My first job out of college was working at a mutual fund company. I was a humanities major in college and never really had much interest in business or finance but as a recent graduate I had to get a job. I went through eight weeks of training and eventually went on to pass my series 6 license. I do not have much experience investing other than in my 401K but I do have a basic to intermediate

As I get older...

2007-10-24T17:00:00.000-05:00

One the eve of my 33rd birthday I am beginning to realize that As I get older I am certainly becoming more frustrated. I am really beginning to beleive that there are two types of people. The first type I will refer to as normal, these for the most part are my friends, kind and considerate but not to say that they do not have a bad day. The second type seem to be growing, they are the people

Starting over

2007-10-16T19:02:00.000-05:00

It is so hard moving into a new house and bringing all of your old stuff with you. Of course there are somethings that I own that I really love but most of it I would love to replace with something that is more of my current style. I have been trying to update things with new accents, like new curtains and new pillows in the living room to breathe new life into the sofa and chair. Some things are

Life moves fast

2007-10-16T18:52:00.000-05:00

Over the last week or so a couple of my friends lives have changed dramatically. About a week ago Drew and Allison welcomed Eva grace into their family, which of course will change their lives forever. And on a different type of change my friend Caroline decided to move cross country to Seattle. Caroline has only been to Seattle once so this is a bit of a leap of faith but she did do a lot of

Cosmeceuticals

2007-10-16T18:14:00.000-05:00

I enjoy keeping up to date with skin care and cosmetic trends even if I do not use much of it myself. I am always on the look out for the one product that is going to revolutionize make-up and skin care for me. The problem is for the most part the make-up and cosmetic industry caters to women with medium skin tones, people who get a little tan during the summer and who we never really refer to

Things that make me go hmmmm...

2007-10-16T17:57:00.000-05:00

I have had a fairly frustrating day today so I am on one of my what is wrong with people kicks. I do have a question for you all to ponder ... how does one get into to college if they do not know what the word mandatory means? I'm not being snide here. It is just that some people just think that for whatever reason rules , requirements etc do not apply to them. I do not know how people start

Benefit Concerts that Rock!

2007-10-15T17:45:00.000-05:00

I love it when people around the world or a single country come together to try to enact change. Often times it takes a big event to pull everyone off of their seats and realize that each and everyone of us can make a difference and have an impact on the world. I also think it great when celebrities take time out of their lives to promote worthy causes like AIDS. IndieMV - Music+People has joined

Baby it is cold outside

2007-10-15T17:26:00.000-05:00

Up until very recently our October is New England has been very mild, even hitting the 80's toward the beginning of the month. As a new homeowner one of my new bills in the gas bill, which has been very reasonable thus far but of course it has only been used for the hot water. I had a secret fantasy that we would not have to turn the heat on until Novemeber but alas that dream will not come

Cheaper Fares

2007-10-14T19:21:00.000-05:00

Just because my reign is up as Ms Wheelchair America does mean that I want to travel any less. Unfortunately now I have to pay for my own travel, which means I really need to keep my eyes open for deals. Would say the hardest deals to find are for airline tickets, it seems like you have search every airlines site to find a good deal. Well things just got easier with the September launch of

Two Cats

2007-10-14T19:16:00.000-05:00

Two of our three cats got outside today which of course put us in a panic anytime we did not know where all three of them were. Kenny was doing a lot of work in a blocked off area of the basement but he had to keep the bulkhead open because he was working with chemicals for some pvc pipes. First it was Jesse who snuck out the door. Kenny had to chase her completely around the house before he

Are you a massage geek?

2007-10-14T18:36:00.000-05:00

Most days when I get home I am in a decent amount of pain. Sitting in my wheelchair all day does not contribute to good circulation and I get a lot pain from the pressure of sitting all day. Add to that the fact that I spend at least half my day sitting in front the computer, I often get a good deal of tightness in my neck and shoulders.I do consider myself lucky because I do have a friend at

A mystery

2007-10-14T18:24:00.000-05:00

We are involved in a bit of mystery at home, a mystery surrounding light switches. When we first moved in we had a total our four mystery light switches in our unit alone, with at least one in each of the other two units. Within the last week we actually figured two of our light switches, it only took us a month and a half. Just in random bedrooms we have two light switches that operate the light

Working from home

2007-10-12T17:53:00.000-05:00

I think nearly everyone at one time or another has seriously wanted to work from home. Whether it is because you have young children, commuting has taken to much out of you, or you really just want to work in pajamas we all have different reasons for this desire. I love my job but just thinking about getting out of bed in the morning and staying my slippers all day is certainly very appealing

Flu Shot

2007-10-12T17:46:00.000-05:00

It is that time of year to start thinking about getting your flu shot. One of the conveniences of my last job was that we got free fl shots every year , even the year when the supply were short. Luckily, I decided to check a community announcement at work and saw that they were giving flu shots today at my current job. They were $15 but that is about the same that I would pay for my co-pay

Congratulations!

2007-10-11T18:04:00.001-05:00

I wanted to take a moment for a very special post. Please stop by BenSpark to check a very beautiful girl. Eva Grace was born yesterday to our dear friends Drew and Allison. We wish all three of you only the best and can not wait to meet Eva Grace in person. I get to go shopping for a baby (hehe)!

I am so bored...

2007-10-10T19:21:00.001-05:00

I am in a complete slump and I am so bored with my look right now. I seriously can not stand my hair at all right now, it used to be as long as I kept it short, it would at least be acceptable but not any more. I even went as far as to buy some new shampoo this past weekend just to see if it would add a little life to my hair, unfortunately it has not helped, infact it might even be worse. I

The evolution of a name

2007-10-10T19:13:00.000-05:00

Several months ago Kenny asked me why and how did I begin referring to my parents' dog Angel as Pants. Of course it is not as obvious as how Cosmo has become Cozzie or just plan Mo, or how Sherman has become shermsherm or shermie. I guess we forget sometimes where are little nicknames come from and it took me a few minutes to remember how Angel became Pants. You see actually it is all my

Solar Power

2007-10-09T19:30:00.000-05:00

While my home is not "green" by any means , Kenny and I do our best to save energy and cut down on waste where we can. We are very good about recycling and check just about every bit of plastic that enters our house for a recycle triangle. I do my best to limit my showers to 10 minutes although on occasion I indulge with a 15 minute one. We were very attentive to energy star ratings when we just

Yinyang

2007-10-09T19:20:00.000-05:00

One of the benefits of the new living arrangements is that I visit my mom and dad whenever I want. At our previous house, only they could visit me because I could not go up the stairs to their apartment. Prior to moving into the new house, it had been about two years since I saw my cat Yinyang. She is a bit fiesty so we never brought her downstairs because she would not have taken well to the

One more month

2007-10-09T19:00:00.000-05:00

I got a call from a friend today at work (Hi Susan!) and talking to her reminded me that I'll be in Walt Disney World in less than a month. She is actually heading down this weeked for the food and wine festival, so I will definitely be able to get the inside scope on what not to miss. She is also going to one of the events that I plan to attend, so before I buy my tickets I can get a personal

Breaking through the fog

2007-10-09T18:30:00.000-05:00

I'm finally coming out of the fog of my cold and right now I am primarily just fighting a really disgusting cough. I really think all of the sleep that I got over the weekend helped me to move through this. Long weekends are great for recovering but not so great when you get back to work. I mean you now have five days of work to get done in just four, so the rest of the week is just that much

Now I know

2007-10-09T18:18:00.000-05:00

Now that I am a homeowner I now know just how important your credit score is. It seems that everything I had every done credit wise was just being tracked so I could purchase a home. I am one of the lucky Americans who has good to great credit and now I have to work to protect that. However if you are one of the growing number of Americans with bad credit there are options to help you improve

Quick Rewards is Quick

2007-10-08T18:37:00.001-05:00

As I said in an earlier post that I recently rediscovered Quick Rewards just over a week ago now. I have just basically been following the daily clicks and sign ups with just a little shopping thrown in and I was already able to cash out for a $25 Disney Gift Certificate. QR is actually doing a promotion early this month where if you cash out for $25 Disney Gift Card from money earned on October

The travel bug

2007-10-06T19:52:00.000-05:00

I have definitely been bitten by the travel bug again. I had so much fun last year traveling all around as Ms Wheelchair America with a minimal cost to me. I am so longing to just take off and go. I definitely want to go Europe and if I do I will definitely need to stop in England and Scotland.Of course having to pay for everything out of my own pocket makes things a little more challenging so

Another Night Another Review

2007-10-06T19:34:00.000-05:00

My parents invited Kenny and I and an uncle and an aunt out to dinner this evening to celebrate the selling of their house and to thnak my uncle and aunt for their help. My dad decided on taking us to the Chateau. This is a newer location is a small local chain that opened up probably about 2 years ago. This location is not far from our new house and is located right on a beautiful lake.

Jobs in England

2007-10-06T19:21:00.000-05:00

We have this great graduate assistant at work that I absolutely love talking to. She just has so many great stories to tell, so if I have a free minute or two in my day I always make my way over to her desk. She just recently got back from England where she had taken a few courses over the summer and I love hearing her talk about her Oxford experience.She has also worked in England, in

I found Quick Rewards again

2007-10-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

A few years back I used to participate in a lot of rewards programs but stopped after I was feeling a little overwhelmed keeping up with them all One program that I really liked was Quick Rewards especially for shopping because the payout was quick and there a lot of options. About a week ago I stubbled back on to Quick Rewards and I am really regretting not sticking with this program. I have

Go Slow

2007-10-05T19:55:00.000-05:00

So a little while ago when I thought for a minute that I might have won a sweepstakes that I would cash in for a trip to hawaii, I started to have visions of palm trees and hawaiian shirts. I have really been dreaming about hawaii lately and the relaxation and laid back attitude that I associate with it. In Hawaii, you can just go slow much like you can at Mad Gringo. Mad Gringo offers an

Great Dinner

2007-10-05T19:47:00.001-05:00

Tonight I wanted some spicy food to help push the stuffiness of my cold so I convinced Kenny to pick me up from work and take me out for dinner. We decided on the The Chatta Box a primarily Thai place near where I work. I have had take out from them before and Kenny has benefited from my leftovers. Tonight we started with two Thai iced teas , we both opted for the cream, I must say the ice tea

Scotland

2007-10-05T19:36:00.001-05:00

One of my closest friends lives in Scotland and has been there for about 7 years now. She does travel back to the states fairly often so I do get to see her. I would very much love to visit her sometime and Scotland especially since this is where my father's family is from. While looking at possible lodging for a visit I found some fantastic places to stay one in particular is a fort williambed

So excited... for like a minute

2007-10-05T19:25:00.000-05:00

Tonight when I got there was a message on the phone for me from Marriott regarding the dream destinations sweepstakes that I entered. Before calling back I did a quick search to refresh my memory and I do remember entering a sweepstakes for 3 million Marriott points The site said the contest was now over, I thought for a minute that maybe I had won something and of course what I would do with

Mortgage Help

2007-10-04T19:03:00.000-05:00

Of course Kenny and I got our mortgage before the latest interest cuts so we are likely paying more than what we would have if we waited another month or so. If interest and mortgage rates continue to go down then we should probably consider a mortgage refinance. I know that if we can drop a few tenths of a percentage in our current rate we will save thousands over the life of our loan. This

Pushing through

2007-10-04T18:58:00.000-05:00

My cold continued to progress over night to the point where breathing has become difficult. Of course I had to push through and go to work because I had two presentations to make today. THe first one was to only 7 transfer students but I had to give the presentation on my own. Then not even a half hour later I had to do 2 of 4 parts of a first year student presentation to about 80 students. I

Tequila!

2007-10-04T18:44:00.000-05:00

I can honestly say that I have never had straight tequila, it always seemed to be just a cheap way to get a buzz to me. I also remember as a kid being both grossed out and completely obsessed with the worm in the small bottle in my parents' liquor cabinet. A few weeks ago I was watching a show on Mexico and the host went to a tequila distillery and was talking about the fine art of tequila. Turns

A couple down so many more to go....

2007-10-04T18:38:00.000-05:00

Kenny has taken the next couple of days off to devote some time to some of the household projects. Today he got a lot accomplished between his own projects and some professional projects. Earlier today the new washer and dryer were delivered but we also found out that the washer and dryer in the tenants unit might need some work. We also had a plumber friend of my father over and we replaced

So many things to think about

2007-10-03T20:09:00.000-05:00

As a new home owner I am beginning to become a little overwhelmed by all the things that need to be taken care of. One of the rooms that we have had to spend a lot of time and money on is the bathroom. We had to move the toilet and the sink just to make a little more usable. Now we are faced with the chore of choosing new bathroom lighting. I honestly had no idea where to begin because I have

Sick again

2007-10-03T20:04:00.000-05:00

Well it has started, first as a sore throat and now a stuffy nose. I think the endless supply of gerns and viruses are the biggest draw back to my job. And once it starts it just keeps on going. The worst part about this one is that I am right in the middle of doing several large presentations a day and sniffling does not make for an interesting presentation. Also with the long weekend coming

More on Christmas

2007-10-01T17:55:00.000-05:00

I have listed some really great personalized Christmas items on my blog today but there are still a few people that I need to think about a little more in depth, mainly Kenny and my dad. In this case particularly my dad because I do not think he would know what to do with a gift card (my dad is not a shopper). I think would definitely need to get my dad more tangible gift. The last couple of

The House is becoming a Home

2007-10-01T17:46:00.000-05:00

Kenny and I are still in the throws of unpacking even though we have been living here for a month now. This past week we changed focus a bit and moved from boxes to decorating. I think we were beginning to lose sight of our visions and dreams for the house; so we took a step back and started decorating around the boxes. Once the new curtains went up ideas and themes just started flowing.

Cell Phone Vs Washer and Dryer

2007-10-01T17:30:00.000-05:00

I am involved with a book club at school; some of our English classes have a book club component attached and I agreed to facilitate one. My book club is reading My Sister's Keeper. There was odd statement in one of the last chapters we read when the main character is at a laundry mat and she is wondering how a person could afford a cell phone but not a washer and dryer. Well I now know the

I need to what....

2007-10-01T17:23:00.001-05:00

It just occurred to me that I really need to start thinking about Christmas gifts since Christmas is only about 90 days away and it sneaks up on your fast. I really want to do something small but personalized this year. I was thinking about something and the time that I would need to put into it would be overwhelming. One of the great Gift Ideas I have recently become aware of is personalized

I'm going to be a landlord

2007-10-01T17:15:00.000-05:00

After a long and exhaustive search we have found tenents. We have had many people interested in the apartment but it has rarely felt like a good match. The people that we are going to start renting to have everything that we wanted in a tenent. I'm excited to move into this next phase of home ownership. I feel good about the people who will soon be living next door to me. I have herad the

Want some celebrity gossip with a legal twist?

2007-09-28T16:51:00.000-05:00

Do you like your celebrity gossip with a legal twist? Could you care less about what Britney, Lindsay and Paris are wearing, but need to know the details of their trails and legal tribulations? Then the Los Angeles Criminal Attorney Blog | California Criminal Defense Lawyers Forum will be your dream come true. Get your daily fix of legal commentary pertaining to L.A.'s most well know

My new chair

2007-09-28T16:41:00.000-05:00

Today I was able to leave work a bit early to go in for a wheelchair evaluation at my physical therapist's office. This is basically the first step to getting a new chair. Over the last year I have learned a great deal about wheelchairs , mailnly that mine sucks. This time I was not going to expect the same old run of the mill chair, I knew I had options and I was going to get some of them.

Win a free Raleigh NC Getaway

2007-09-28T16:26:00.000-05:00

A little over seven years ago my sister relocated from Massachusetts to Raleigh North Carolina. I must say that from the first time I visited her I was hooked on this city. One of my favorite things about Raleigh is its size, there is so much to see and do yet it doesn't take an hour to get across town. As a capitol city it is very manageable and is not intimidating for tourists and other

The Feet of Queens

2007-09-27T17:57:00.000-05:00

I found this picture that Kenny took during the crowning event at Ms Wheelchair America 2008 pageant in July. Featured are the feet of three Ms WHeelchair America's mine as Ms Wheelchair America 2007 in silver, Alana Wallce Ms Wheelchair AMerica 2008 in the middle and on the other side in Juliette Rizzo Ms Wheelchair AMerica 2005.

Love them or hate them

2007-09-27T17:47:00.000-05:00

Most people have a love/hate relationship with their credit cards. I can honestly say that I hate mine most of the time because they are always expecting a pesky little thing called a minimum payment. I must say that they have gotten me out of a jam on occassion but probably put me into some of the jams to begin with. I really am trying not to use them anymore but then they keep tempting me

Off again on again

2007-09-27T17:37:00.000-05:00

In February I booked a trip to Walt Disney World for November to attend the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. A few things have happened since I booked the trip mainly I got a new job and bigger still Kenny and I bought a house. We decided a while back not to go but I never really got around to cancelling the trip. Last week I decided that we could probably really use a little vacation so for now at

Gossip GIrl

2007-09-27T17:14:00.001-05:00

For the last several years I have a Wednesday night 8pm tradition of watching America's Next Top Model. I have always been very interested in the fashion industry and while in high school got caught up the craze of Super Models, one of them being Tyra Banks. I have always seen her as a role model as far as the young and rich goes because she always seems to have her head on her shoulders unlike

Why?

2007-09-27T17:01:00.001-05:00

Here is my complaint of the day. Why do people bite off more than they can chew and then complain about it and expect someone else to pick up the pieces. I know people have the best intentions going into things but by now we( meaning adults) should all know what we can handle and we should not pass our mess off on to someone else.I'm just frustrated and want to find away to address the problem

I got mine...did you?

2007-09-26T17:57:00.000-05:00

So a couple weeks ago I posted about the Dale and Thomas popcorn trade in event, where you could trade in you old popcorn for Dale and Thomas popcorn of it you were not near a store you could send an email in for a $20 gift certificate. Well I got my gift certificate in the mail on yesterday, I am very anxious to put it to use because I love Dale and Thomas popcorn.

Testing the water

2007-09-26T17:39:00.000-05:00

My first job out of college was working for a mutual fund company, I was thrown into the financial industry and eventually earn my series 6 license so I could sell mutual funds if I wanted to. Even though I had a good understanding of the market and felt comfortable investing in mutual funds I have shyed away a bit from individual stocks and bonds. I have over the years investing a few hundred

It Sold!

2007-09-25T16:58:00.000-05:00

After to weeks of on again off again, my parent's house finally sold. The buyer's bank held off to the very last minute to get all the paperwork together. My parents throught it was over and then they got the phone call at the very last minute and rushed out to close on the house. I am so glad this bit of non- sense is over now and we can move on.

Diacetyl Free Popcorn for Free

2007-09-07T20:45:00.000-05:00

Recently I became aware that a potentially dangerous chemical called diacetyl is found in many brands of microwave. Popcorn is one my favorite snacks and I love the convenience of microwave popcorn. My favorite popcorn, however is not a microwave popcorn it is Dale and Thomas popcorn, I am particular fond of the peanut butter and white chocolate drizzlecorn. I was quite pleased that Dale and

Nearly a month

2007-09-06T19:51:00.000-05:00

I just realized that is has been nearly a month since I last posted and I must admit I have missed blogging. Life has taken over and I have not had much time for fun. I do hope to get back on a regular basis and highlight the trails and successes as a new home owner. I eat, breath, and sleep household issues at the moment, I am actually pretty lucky that I found my lap top amoungst all the

The process continues

2007-08-07T20:12:00.000-05:00

I have not had the opportunity to blog much lately because I simply have not been home. I go to work and then go right over to the new house to: show the apartment, meet with contrators, paint, clean, freak out about all the things we need to do. Most nights we get back to the apartment at 9 or 9:30. Right now we are at the mercy of contrators just waiting for them to get to us, it is so

Halloween in August

2007-08-07T19:53:00.000-05:00

A few years back on Halloween the husband of an advisor that I used to work with showed up in our office dressed as Michael Meyers from the Halloween movies. He was wearing a jumpsuit and

A quick update

2007-07-31T18:46:00.000-05:00

I wanted to give you all a quick upset since I have not been on in a while. Last week I was in Washington DC attending the Ms Wheelchair America 2008 pageant. As the outgoing titleholder I had the honor of spending the week with 27 amazing women from around the country. It was definitely bitter sweet ending my reign on Saturday but I know it is time for someone else to take over and make an

I'm going to be a landlord

2007-07-17T21:25:00.000-05:00

The house that Kenny and I are buying actually has a two bedroom rental unit. The unit is presently vacant and I have been a little concerned about getting someone in their. I want the income to start coming in right away, but at the same time I want to make sure that we have quality renters. This is something that has definitely been weighing on my mind and I really want to have someone in the

One step closer

2007-07-17T21:18:00.000-05:00

Today Kenny and I applied for our home owner's insurance, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I did have a bit of the a problem with the mortgage broker today. They keep telling us we are all set and then they want one more thing. Today they decided they want another pay stub for me since I have only been at my job for a month. The problem is I do not get paid again until the 27th

News and Entertainment just for you

2007-07-16T20:08:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I am a bit of a news junkie. I spend sometime each day visiting the sites of major news and entertainment outlets catching up on what is going on. I can normally find one or two stories on the home page that I am interested. More and more frequently when I check out a major site, there just is not anything listed that I am interested in reading and I have to dig through the site

Where have I been?

2007-07-16T20:03:00.000-05:00

I have not had much time to spend blogging lately with everything going on. We are now less than two weeks a way from closing on the house. To make things more exciting, I am going to DC next week to give up my title of Ms Wheelchair America 2007. I am very excited about getting the chance to meet all the contestants, I just have so much to do back home. I have not even begun to pack yet, I

Careers in Healthare

2007-07-16T18:00:00.000-05:00

There is still a growing need for workers in the healthcare industry. Many times people have interest in pursueing a healthcare career but have no idea where to get the information that they need. Now you can access the Guide To Healthcare Schools and get all the information you need. Whether you are thinking about nursing or maybe considering becoming a ultrasound professional. I am really

Part of Something

2007-07-05T20:09:00.001-05:00

I am nearly three weeks into my new job and while I am still in the honeymoon phase I still have a good feeling about this move. I finally feel like I am part of something and I have been looking to feel this way for a long time. The people that I am working with are genuinely nice and appear to enjoy what they do, which really helps me feel positive about where I am. My supervisor and I were

You win some you lose some

2007-07-02T18:41:00.000-05:00

Well I did not place in the top three in the BenSpark's Refreshing Soda-Club contest, despite all the support I received from blog readers. I was a little bummed out because I really wanted the soda-club soda maker but I could not stay sad for too long. On Saturday, I had what I consider a once in a lifetime opportunity. Kenny and I were invited to Fenway Park to be apart of the disability

Moving

2007-07-02T18:23:00.000-05:00

Kenny and I just signed the purchase and sales agreement for our new house. In just four short weeks barring any unforeseen events we will have the keys to our new home. We unfortunately already have an out of town obligation just the week before the move so packing is going to be an issue.I have just started looking at some moving companies so that we do not have to depend on friends and family

Fighting for Third

2007-06-25T17:43:00.000-05:00

I am still fighting for third place and I am not going to give up yet. Just take a moment and vote for Autumn, the BenSpark's Refreshing Soda-Club contest. You can vote each day until June 29th although you do need to wait 24 hours between votes.I do have some more love to send out.A very special thanks for voting to the following...AnnieBannie of Head in KnotsJust Jackie of Call me when you